Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liners

I recently purchased two Creaseless Cream shadow liners by Benefit and thought I'd do a little review on them. The two shades I got were Stiletto, a cool maroon/burgundy shade and Pre-nup, a shimmery, corally pink shade.

 

L-R: PRE-NUP, STILETTO

I've used both as a wash of colour on the eyelid by themselves, but also underneath eyeshadow to help intensify the colour and make my eye makeup last all day. The texture of these cream eyeshadows is so lovely. Both are buttery smooth and glide onto the skin. Once applied, they dry very quickly, leaving a satiny finish and a great base for eye shadows to grab onto.

I like the versatility of the product. Even though I havent tried it yet, I'm sure Stiletto would look lovely when used as an eyeliner! *makes a note to try that soon!*

 

The first time I wore Stiletto, I was really pleased with how it made my eye makeup last. It stayed intense and didn't crease all day! However on other occasion's when I've used pre-nup, which is a more wearable, everyday colour, I have noticed creasing after about 2 hours. 

I then realised that these have to be applied in a specific way if you want them to be used as an eyeshadow base. It's best to apply a fine layer of product onto the eyelid, rather than loading on the cream shadow. I found that using a brush rather than my fingers helped to distribute the products finely and evenly over my eyelid and helped my eye makeup last alot longer.

The down side about this product is the price. They retail for £14.00 per pot. For me thats definitely a little on the pricey side, especially considering that a paint pot by MAC is cheaper than that. Having said that, I haven't ever tried a paint pot by MAC, so these may well be better quality.

I also think that the colour range of the creasless cream shadows is quiet limited. There are a couple of standout shades such as stiletto, but the majority seem to be similar neutrals.

I would love to try more creaseless cream shadows by Benefit, but as I said, if one thing puts me of it's the price. 

I think I might just try a paint pot by MAC next and see how that compares.

Have you tried the creaseless cream shadow/liners by Benefit? What do you think?

ROSA x

HAUL: Smashbox, L'Oreal

I only own a couple of Smashbox products, but so far I've loved everything I've tried by the brand. I wanted to try a couple more things, so recently placed an online order. I also wandered into Boots last week... and failed to come out empty handed.

From Smashbox I got:

A Travel size foundation brush

 Softlights Blush Duo in 'Casting Filmmaker'

 I havent had a chance to use this properly yet,  but from swatching it, the colours seems really pretty, and the texture is so soft and smooth.....buttery smooth :)

Eye and Cheek Fusion in 'On in 5'

I love multi-purpose products. This can be used as individual eyeshadows, or swirled together as a blush/highlighter. The colour on the picture above doesn't really show up, but in reality it's a lovely peach/bronze shade. I've used this a couple of times, and it's really lovely. Definitely a 'go to' blush for me.

from Boots I picked up the new mascara by L'Oreal.

Now I like this mascara, but I don't think it's amazing. The brush can feel quiet harsh on my eyes, so after a while I sort of give up applying it. I'm trying to keep in mind that most of the time I change my opinion on mascara's. For example, when I first purchased Maybelline's false lash effect I hated it, but now I love it! So I'll let you know what I think in a couple of weeks.

Have you tried this mascara? What do you think?

THANK YOU for reading :) 

ROSA X

Little BarryM Haul

I recently popped into boots and came away with a couple of Barry M goodies. Being a big fan of the nail paints, I was keen to try other talked about products by the brand, and so I decided to pick up a lip gloss in the shade coral (11). Even though I hadn't heard much about this particular shade ( I think it's new) after swatching it ( and smelling it, it reminds me of ice lollies!) I new it had to be mine.

What's great about this lip gloss is the consistency. It has a jelly like formula which makes it non sticky and super shiny. At £4.25 per gloss, it's definitely worth a try! I know I'll be picking some more up in the near future.

The next thing I picked up was a Kohl eyeliner in a really pretty purple/lilac shade. I'm really liking adding a bright colour just below my lower lashes. It's a quick and simple way to make my eye's stand out with minimal effort. This shade really suit my dark brown eyes, and was completely worth it at only £2.95.

Like I said, I'm already a huge fan of Barry M nail paints, so I decided to add another one to my growing collection. I've always liked the dirty/ murky brown nail polish trend, but I've never tried one out for myself. I got home and applied 'mushroom' to my nails and guess what? I love it! I think it looks really sophisticated and is a shade that suits my skin tone. I hate it when a polish looks lovely in the bottle, but horrible again my skin colour!

What products have you been loving lately my Barry M?
Rosa x

JAZZED vs. NYX Pumpkin Pie

I know everyone has been talking about Jazzed from the recent 'In the Groove Collection' by MAC, but I haven't had my say on it yet! Basically, I love it! :) I didn't initially pick it up when I went to my local MAC counter to have a look at the collection. Then I only came away with Stereo Rose (I think I've mentioned stereo rose in almost every post I've done since I got it! What can I say! I like it!). However, I was lucky enough to get my hands on Jazzed before I went on holiday at duty free.

Believe it or not, this is my first MAC lipstick. I've never really been big on lipstick and therefore have never had the desire to spend £12-13 on one. Let me tell you, that has now changed! After loving the finish, texture, scent, quality etc. of Jazzed, I've now got a list as long as my arm of MAC lipsticks I want to try!

So we've cleared up that I'm a fan of Jazzed, but like I mentioned, a MAC lipstick is somewhere between £12-13. That's certainly not cheap, so I thought I'd compare it to a couple of other lipsticks I already have in my collection.

L-R: NYX PUMPKIN PIE, JAZZED BY MAC, APRICOT BY SMASHBOX

Let me start of by saying that pumpkin pie is definitely not a dupe, however I do think it's a good, cheaper alternative if that's what your looking for. The finish is more matte and it has a browner undertone than jazzed, but on the lips I find that it gives a somewhat similar appearance.

As you can see from the pictures the smashbox lipstick is in the same family, but it's alot more intense. This was my 'go to' colour on holiday.

What's your favourite MAC lipstick? I might just added it to my ever growing list! 

ROSA X

Temporary Make up Storage

I've never had a nice, organised way to store my makeup, but as my collection has steadily grown over the year, I've wanted to find a way to get it all organised, making it easier to find products etc.

I picked up three of the little white drawers pictured above for £1.99 each. Even though I'm okay with the way it looks for now, I know I'm going to have to change my set up very soon.

One because all the drawers are full and I still have a bunch of stuff I need to store away! 

and two because I don't like them very much! I picked them up without thinking about it much... big mistake.

So, I guess this is my new 'temporary' make up storage. I have to say...It's much better than having everything just piled into a shoe box!

That was a nightmare!

On top of the mini drawers, I keep products that I use alot but can't fit in the drawers on the left. My brushes are in the middle, and all my nails inc. nail polishes on the right.

The first drawer on the left contains mainly face/base products. The first section has all my bare minerals products, the middle sections has bronzers, concealers and a tinted moisturiser, and the last section has cheek products in it.

The middle drawer contains eye products. the first and middle section house my eye shadows, eye bases, eye pencils, eye liners and pigments. The last section contains mascaras.

The last draw on the right contains mainly lip products. The first section consists on lipsticks, the middle sections consists on lipglosses and the last section contains palettes and random items that couldn't fit any where else!

Like I said, these drawers don't hold all of my makeup, so I've just stored items that I use.

I would really like it if you could link me to your make up storage posts if you've done any, so I can get ideas on how to next store my makeup  :)

Rosa x

EGYPT Sharm El Sheikh

For the past week, I've been in Egypt (hence the quiet blog) and to be more specific I went to Sharm El Sheikh.

To cut to the point, I had an amazing time and I already want to go back! On our last day it was around 47 degrees, but since I landed back in England it's been raining non-stop! Good old English weather hey! I hope it brightens up soon.

Anyway, I guess this is sort of an update post, I'll do a 'proper' one soon, showing you what I bought and pictures etc..

Have you ever been to Sharm? What did you think?

ROSA X

OPI Summer Flutters Collection 2010 - WING IT!

After wanting to try OPI nail polishes for a while, I finally took the plunge and order two bottles. So far I love them! The brush makes the application really easy, and the formula of both are really lovely.

One of the polishes I picked up was from the new  OPI Summer Flutter Collection called 'Wing it!'

It's a shade that's just perfect for summer! However my picture doesn't capture the true beauty of this polish, in person it's alot brighter, and looks more shocking pink than red (something I was a little disappointed about). It's shot through with a blue and gold duochrome which looks amazing when it catches the sun.

I now want to get my hands on the blue/green polish from the same collection... It has the same sort of finish, but alot more intense... check out swatches and you'll see what I mean!

Anyway, that's it for now... let me know what you think! What's your favourite OPI nail polish? I seriously want them all!

ROSA x

STEREO ROSE Comparisons

Before the long awaited Stereo Rose was re-released, the shade I thought it would be was completely different to what it actually is.

After looking at online swatches, I was convinced it would be just like a Blush and Brighten by Laura Geller in the shade Apricot Berry. Like mineralized skinfinishes, blush and brightens are baked products, starting their life as a liquid which are then baked for 24 hours on a terracotta pan.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the two products were completely different in both shade and finish/ texture. However, after swatching Stereo Rose when I got home, the finish reminded me of Coralista by benefit.

So I thought I'd do a comparison of all three side by side. It proves to me that stereo rose was worth the money and it's nothing like any other product that I own in my collection. Actually, I believe that it would be a good addition to anyone's make up collection. It is truly a unique product in my eyes.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: MAC STEREO ROSE, LAURA GELLER APRICOT BERRY, BENEFIT CORALISTA

 

L-R: LAURA GELLER APRICOT BERRY, MAC STEREO ROSE, BENEFIT CORALISTA

As you can see, Apricot Berry is by far the deepest darkest shade, and it's finish is more matte compared to the other two. Stereo Rose and Coralista have a similar finish, but they are completely different in shade. Stereo rose is more of a true coral shade, whereas Coralista is more pink with coral undertones. Either way I love all three products, but I can definitely see Stereo Rose getting alot of love this summer!

If you would like to see more swatches of Stereo Rose, check out this post (HERE)

Do you think stereo rose is similar to anything you have in your make up collection?

Rosa x

STEREO ROSE - MAC In The Groove Collection

I'm sure you've all heard by now that the famous Stereo Rose mineralized skin finish by MAC, has been re-released in their new collection called In The Groove. Having originally been released in 2005, I'm sure it's been on many wishlists for quiet some time now.

 I don't own alot of MAC products, but when I saw swatches of this particular MSF, it did indeed get me a little excited. I was debating whether to get stereo rose, petticoat or by candlelight, all very popular MSF's that have been released previously.

So I made my way to my local MAC counter yesterday, still undecided on which MSF would be coming home with me, but as soon as I swatched Stereo Rose, I new it was the one I was going to get! It's so pretty!

It's a lovely coral with a slight pink/rose undertone, shot through with shimmery gold and bronze tones.They help leave gorgeous sheen on the face, not glitter or chunky shimmer, but just a nice glow. It's prefect for achieving that glowy/dewy/ healthy look, and it's perfect for the summer.

Here's some swatches... there's quiet a few because I wanted to try and show the true colour. Before this was released, I found that alot of online swatches didn't represent the true colour, so I've tried to take pictures that give a true representation of the product.

I LOVE it and I cant wait to wear it!

I think the MAC In The Groove collection is very impressive, with quiet a few standout products.  I've still got a mini list of items that I want to go back and pick up. they include:

'Jazzed' lipstick (this looks amazing!)

'On the Scene' Cremesheen lipglass

'Fashion Whim'  Cremesheen lipglass

'By Candlelight' MSF

'Petticoat' MSF

Did you pick anything up from this collection?

If I was to get another MSF, which one would you recommend, 'petticoat' or 'by candlelight'?

NYX Round Lipsticks that I REGRET buying

A while ago, I ordered a couple of NYX round lipsticks from America. I was really excited about trying them, as I had heard so many good things about them. So after they arrived, there were a couple that stood out and I completely feel in love with, but there were also a couple that I was disappointed with and I just new I wasn't going to wear.

So after doing a couple of posts swatching the colours I did like, I thought I'd do a post of the colour that I wasn't too fond of. Surprisingly, the three that I don't like were the colours that I was most looking forward to.

The first one is Louisiana, a HOT pink. It's such a daring colour and it takes confidence to wear. Confidence that I don't think I have. Plus it just doesn't suit my skin tone.

The next one is Circe.. I'd heard alot about this colour and how good it was, but I have to disagree. It's meant to help achieve a concealer lip look, but on my skin tone it completely fails. It makes me look a little ill!

And finally Rea which is very similar to Circe...but worse. Although you cannot tell in the picture above, it has a grey tinge to it...WHY? i don't know! This colour looks awful on me, and in my opinion, it's probably the worst one out of the three.

Do you own any NYX round lipsticks that your not too impressed with?

NOTD - BarryM Mint Green

I've wanted this colour for ages, and finally got round to buying it today! When i first thought of mint green as a nail colour, i wasn't to enthusiastic about it, but over time I've grow to like it! I think it looks nice and summery, and it really helps dress up a plain outfit.

I think that in the bottle, it looks alot lighter than it is on the nails. I'm on a search for a 'mintier' green, so basically the same colour as this one, but lighter. Any recommendations?

Are you a fan of mint greens nails?

MAC CCO Haul!

Yesterday, I managed to finally visit a MAC CCO. If you don't know what that is, its basically a shop that sells MAC makeup, and other brands at a slightly discounted price. The items sold will often be from past collections, discontinued items or they may just be from the permanent line. There is a CCO about 45 minutes away from me, and I've been wanting to pop down and check it out for ages now!

If I'm honest, i wasn't planning on buying much, as I've often heard that there's usually never anything good left, but i actually came back with more than i was expecting too! I felt like a child in a sweety shop!

Anyway, here's what i got...

I'll be posting swatches and prices tomorrow, so watch this space! x